August 2 Day 33 Wilmar MN to Watertown MN. 55 Miles 747 climbing

Minnesota is known for the state with a 1000 lakes. I don't think this counts but it was pretty and the ducks liked it.

This is Minnesota's answer to the Paris/Roubaix. We've been on the road for a while now and this day was one of the hardest days of riding we've done because of the shoulders. We all agree as well that the motorist are more aggressive here.

This is the worlds largest ball of string. It lives in Darwin Minnesota. The second picture below is how they display it. It is 40 feet circumference, 11 feet tall,12 feet 9 inches in diameter and weighs in a 11 tons. He started it by wrapping bailer twine around his fingers. When it got too big he used a block and tackle. It is in the Guiness Book Of World Records 1991 edition.

Sam is finding some lovely places for the lunch stops. He stopped by this auto shop called the guy to see if it was alright to park there. 

Jim saying good bye to highway 12 we've been on it for 25 Days. It is the Lewis and Clark Trail. It moves on to St. Louis where their journey began. Ours will wander on into Wisconsin.

I will miss you Highway 12.

We were told about this Resturant everyone really enjoyed their meals.

This is Jill our waitress.

Jill took our photo for us. She also told us about a Relay for Life happening in their local park. We decided to go down and see what they had going on.

They were selling all kinds of food and different things. I wanted to get cupcakes for tomorrow's stop.

It was fun I bought the cupcakes and ask the fellow if he had something to put them in. Jim said how about the pan they were in. He said "Well, it's not mine." Jim said he would give him $20.00 for the pan. He said deal. He did pretty good . We paid him $20.00 for 14 cupcakes which were a $1.00 each 

And $20.00 for some lady's pan. I kept expecting her to come through the crowd looking for it. 

This was on the other side of this city lake park. Those are luminaries they would light at dusk.

There is a walking  path all through this park and they lined it with the luminaries. People buy a luminarie decorate the bag and place it on the walk way. Tomorrow we ride about 65 miles to Lakeville, MN. When we got back to the hotel Jim got a call from an old Viet Nam Vet buddy. He will be meeting us for dinner tomorrow night. I know him as Gumby. We look forward to seeing him.